There really isn’t anything special about the Abbotsford International Airport’s history. The airport was built in the late 1930s due to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan like most of the Canadian airports that stand nowadays. Its primary use was helping the World War II war effort by training pilots. After World War II the facility was optimized for general aviation use and as a secondary landing field for Vancouver International Airport whenever there was an emergency or if the fog was too great for planes to land.

The airport didn’t take on jet aircraft until 1997. Six years later the airport started its first regularly scheduled international flight and has been growing quickly ever since. In 2010, Abbotsford International Airport was ranked the 19th busiest airport in Canada. It currently serves more than half a million passengers each year and continues to see consistently increasing annual passenger numbers. Abbotsford is definitely one of main up-and-coming airports in Canada to watch.

Abbotsford International Airport Car Rentals…

There are four on-site international car rental companies that offer their services every day of the year to arriving passengers of Abbotsford International. The four companies on-site are Avis, Budget, Enterprise and National. They can all easily be located by looking at one of the directories scattered throughout the terminal or by asking an employee for assistance.

Due to the massive amount of growth the airport has seen over the last few years it’s very possible that a large expansion or renovation project could move the rental cars around. Just make sure you ask about where the company is located after placing your reservation or check the airport’s website to see if any changes have occurred recently. Either way, the rental cars are parked right out in front of the terminal. Shuttles are not needed here. Simply walk out of the front of the terminal and locate your car and you’re good to go.

Abbotsford Airport Directions to Abbotsford…

Getting to Downtown Abbotsford from the airport takes about fifteen minutes. Start by leaving the airport via the only exit there is, Townline Rd, and take the first right you can, which will be King Rd (there is a little church that sits on the corner). Follow King Rd for a little more than a kilometer and a half, then turn left onto Clearbrook Rd. Get into the far right lane and follow it onto the Trans-Canada Highway ramp. Merge onto BC-1 E and follow it for about five kilometers before getting off at exit 92. You’ll end up circling around to the north and merging onto Sumas Way. Follow the road for about four miles then turn left onto Gladys Ave. Quickly get into the left lane and turn left at the next street, Pratt St, and you’ll find yourself in Downtown Abbotsford.

Abbotsford Airport Car Rental Return…

Getting back to the airport should prove to be just as easy as it was to leave it. Reverse the above directions and you’ll be fine. Right after taking the Clearbook Rd exit towards the airport, you will go thru a traffic circle with a large raspberry monument (see pic below) in the center of the circle. A little odd, but at least you’ll know you’re on the right track. Go straight thru the traffic circle and follow the directions right back to the airport.

The airport has a Shell station on-site, but we’re not sure that it’s currently open to the public. Anyway, you don’t want to end up using it due to exorbitant prices if it is open to you. Again, the easiest way back to the airport is to take BC-1 to the Clearbrook Rd exit. However, there are no gas stations in the direction you have to go from the exit before you get to the airport. Instead, turn left from the exit and refuel at one of the gas stations just north of the highway before turning around and following the same directions from before backwards, starting at Clearbrook Rd. There is a Petrol Canada within 100 meters of the exit. You can’t miss it.

The airport offers all the usual amenities, but the Wi-Fi service it offers isn’t free like most international airports. There are a variety of food and retail stores scattered throughout the airport for your convenience. Pet accommodations for transportation are offered since there are three airlines that offer pet airfare. If you happen to lose something, lost and found could possibly have the item you’re looking for or at least be on the lookout for the item you’ve lost.

Other Car Rental Options at Abbotsford International Airport…

The four international companies do a great job making sure the rental pool is full of everything anyone could possibly want to rent. However, Five hundred thousand passengers are a lot for four rental agencies to cover. Your best bet at being able to rent the car you want is to make a reservation as quickly as possible. You may also want to look into reserving a GPS system with you vehicle as well. GPS will help you navigate Abbotsford like a pro and save you a lot of time and money.